The present invention relates to an upper cymbal fastening assembly for a hi-hat cymbal, and more particularly relates to improvement in a system for fastening an upper cymbal to an associated extension rod on a hi-hat cymbal.
The main parts of a hi-hat cymbal are mounted on a tripod made up of 3 foldable legs. More particularly, the tripod supports an upright lower pipe and an upper pipe is telescopically coupled to the lower pipe by assistance of an wing screw which is used for level adjustment. An extension rod extends slidably through the lower and upper pipes with it exposed lower end being operationally connected to a foot pedal attached to the tripod. A return spring is accommodated in a spring casing arranged in parallel to the lower pipe in order to urge the foot pedal to return to its stand-by position when foot pressure is removed. Upper and lower cymbals are attached to the upper section of the extension rod exposed upwards from the upper pipe by assistance of respective fastening assemblies.
When the foot pedal is pressed downwards against repulsion of the above-described return spring, the upper cymbal crashes against the lower cymbal for sound generation. As foot pressure is removed, the foot pedal resumes its stand-by position to separate the upper cymbal from the lower cymbal.
Furious vibrations are generated on a hi-hat cymbal during performance because of high pitch, repeated crash of both cymbals. So, the cymbals must be firmly attached in position to the associated extension rod without any undesirable displacement. In particular the fastener assembly for the upper cymbal which undergoes frequent, vertical reciprocation during performance, it required to fasten upper cymbal reliably to the extension rod whilst well withstanding furious vibrations.
Examples of such a fastener assembly are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publications Sho. 57-8059 and Sho. 62-30065.
In the construction of JUMP Sho. 57-8059, a threaded pipe provided with an outer thread is idly inserted over the upper section of an extension rod and a tubular holder is attached atop the threaded pipe whilst embracing the extension rod. A fastener bolt is screwed into a radial threaded hole formed in the tubular holder with its inner point in pressure contact with the extension rod. At a position bellow the tubular holder, a felt washer unit is inserted over the threaded pipe. The felt washer unit is made up of a pair of felt pieces which sandwich an upper cymbal between them. At a position between the tubular holder and the felt washer unit, a lock nut unit is screwed over the threaded pipe. The lock nut unit is made up of upper and lower nut pieces. Just below the felt washer unit, a clutch nut unit is screwed over the lower section of the threaded pipe. Thus, the felt washer unit is clamped between the lock nut unit and the clutch nut unit. In the region of the felt washer unit, a wide circumferential groove is formed in the threaded pipe for reception of the upper cymbal. The depth of this circumferential groove is designed same as or larger than that of the outer thread on the threaded pipe so that movement of the upper cymbal should not damage the outer thread on the threaded pipe. Except for the lower joint to the threaded pipe, the inner diameter of the tubular holder is designed larger than that of the threaded pipe. This design enables the fastener bolt to firmly fasten the extension rod so that the latter should not displace out of the correct position despite unavoidable vibrations generated during performance.
The construction proposed in JUMP Sho. 62-30065 is an improvement of this earlier proposal. In the case of this improvement, a clutch bolt is attached to the upper section of a threaded pipe as a substitute for the tubular holder used in the earlier proposal and a fastener bolt is screwed into a radial threaded hole in the clutch bolt. On the side opposite to the threaded hole, a cutout is formed in the clutch bolt in communication with the threaded hole. The fastener bolt presses an extension rod against upper and lower edge in the cutout. Thus, the extension rod is fastened at three points for higher stability.
In either case, the clutch nut unit clamping the felt washer unit is coupled to the threaded pipe via simple screw engagement. Such a screw engagement can hardly withstand furious vibrations generated during performance and tends to allow slacking in clamp by the clutch nut unit, thereby inducing undesirable displacement of the upper cymbal held by the felt washer unit.